Peeta's Hunger Games
by DanniJones
Summary: Peeta's POV of The Hunger Games.   May the odds be ever in your favor.
1. 1 The Reaping

I wake to the sound of someone knocking on the back door of the bakery; most likely the person my father gets all of these squirrels from. I stretch out before realizing in six hours the reaping will begin. I have to take my mind off the thought that if I am chosen; I may die in the months to come. These thoughts force me get out of bed and throw myself into work in the bakery. I bake two trays of bread making sure not to burn them or the reaping will be the least of my worries, I'll be more scared of my mother. The last time I burnt bread was when I was twelve years old. I had to take it out to the pigs, then I saw her, she looked a mess but I couldn't take my eyes off of how beautiful she was. It was raining and she looked like she'd been crying for a while so I throw the burnt bread to the floor at her feet and closed the door making sure I didn't make a fool of myself. That girl was Katniss Everdeen. Even now, four years on, I still can't look away. I've been in love with her since I was five years old. She doesn't even know I exist, especially because she always preoccupied with her boyfriend Gale Hawthorne. Well I think he's her boyfriend, how they look at one another and are always together. Rage suddenly pulses through me. I begin to mix icing for the cakes that are cooling next to me, so I don't throw anything at the wall.

When the bread is cooked perfectly I lay it down in the tin trying to ignore the burn I acquired from the hot metal. Icing the cakes is my favorite part of work in the bakery, lines turning into shapes that weave around overlapping into beautiful patterns and designs. It calms my nerves having to use so much detail, so I'm relaxed by the time I force myself to get ready. My mother heats a bowl of water for me to use to wash; the water soothes my aching arms and the fresh burn mark that covers my right palm. I clean the rest of my body and look at shirt and trousers laid out on my bed, it was my fathers. I put on the shirt and tuck it in to my trousers. I look smart; everyone needs to look their best for the reaping because it is consumed by the whole of Panem, all Twelve Districts and the Capitol is forced to watch it – not like the capitol needs to be_ forced._ A boy and a girl from all twelve of the districts are reaped, and taken to the Capitol to prepare for the Hunger Games. Twenty-four teenagers prepare to fight to the death until only one is left. Families are to watch their own children, brothers and sisters dying, when there helpless to it all. The Capitol's sick way of making sure the districts don't rebel like they did in the dark days.

"Peeta," my mother says as she makes an entrance into the cramped room. "Hurry up and get out here your brothers are hungry and you need to eat before the reaping!" Strangely she didn't have a tone in her voice; it was like she was forcing herself to try to say something to me without raising her voice.

"I'm ready now and just coming out," I tell her while exiting the room.

When I get to the room where the rest of my family are, they are all around the small dinner table in the center of a room.

"Do I look okay, for the reaping?" I ask cautiously.

"You look fine Peeta, just sit down and eat." Says mother from behind me.

"Is this really just for the reaping or is it for her," Roman gestures toward the door with a smirk.

"Oh, you mean Katniss. Katniss Everdeen?" Kai grinned highfiving his brother.

I sit down at the table ignoring their comments about Katniss, even though they had a point. Today if we get through the reaping I'll tell her how I feel, I promised myself quickly before doubting the likelihood of that. I look down at the food it front of me and push it around the plate with my fork before giving up altogether. My stomach is in knots, but in not sure whether that's because they brought up Katniss or because of the reapings.

The minutes tick by as I wait for one o'clock to appear. It feels like no time at all and were already saying goodbye while I'm hoping I'll be home for dinner. I hug them all and give them half a smile before leaving to the square. I take a step out of the door and take a deep breath, air and coal dust fills my lungs and makes me choke. I splutter before finally getting over it and walking towards the seam to look for the girl of my dreams. I was going to talk to her. To wish her luck in the reapings, but as I near her house my legs freeze. I can't speak to her she won't even remember me. Why do I even try anymore? I'll just walk away like I do every single time. My head falls to look at my feet; I turn around and walk away trying to pretend I wasn't there.

I pace myself to the square trying not to get there too fast so I couldn't take more of the reapings in than I needed to. I was about to get in the huddle with all of the other boys my ages as I do every year when I see a boy no older that twelve maybe it was his first reaping. I take four steps until I'm in front of him.

"Hello, are you okay?" I ask him. I can see him shaking in front of me he was as white as a ghost.

"No! What if they pull my name out of that bowl? I can't be in the Hunger Games I'd be the first one they go after." His voice was trembling and he tears rolled down his cheeks.

"Don't worry your names only in there once some people have there's in there over 50 times because of tesserae, so try not to panic." I try to comfort him; this became progressively harder as he weeps I act like it doesn't bother me even though it was what I was doing on the inside.

"I'll made you a deal, if we both make it thought this we'll meet here after so that I can show you that it's nothing to worry about." I say. He looks me straight in the eyes.

"Okay, thank you." He replies before wiping his eyes and smiling.

I give him half a smile before walking to my age section in the middle of the crowd of teenagers on the square.

I stand there for a moment before a burst of noise can from the stage outside the Justice Building, my eyes dart to the source of the noise and a familiar woman walks onto the stage. Effie Trinket stands in front of us with two large, circular, glass bowls before her. One is for the girls and one for the boys. Effie looks out to the crowd before retreating to seats behind her. There were three chairs on the stage near the podium, sat in these seats were Mayor Undersee and of course Effie, but the third was unoccupied. The first thing you would notice about Effie is the pinkish hair that clashes with the green suit that was defiantly from the Capitol. The town clock chimes signaling two 'o'clock and the start of reaping. First the Mayor talks about the history of Panem, which I've heard every year since I was born and that we have the Hunger Games in punishment for an uprising. Every one of the twelve districts needed to present one boy and one girl between the ages of twelve and eighteen as a tribute. These twenty-four children are placed in an arena and force to fight for their lives over a few weeks, last tribute left wins and comes back home to live in Victor's Village. To me the worst part is they treat the Hunger Games as a thing to get excited over and celebrate. The Capitol is just sick. There is only one Hunger Games victor from district twelve that's still alive, his name is Haymitch Abernathy. He is middle aged man who has a drinking problem. He staggers up the stairs onto the stage and goes towards Effie in an attempt to embrace her while falling into the empty seat. Effie's expression was one of hatred toward the drunken man who had his whole body weight pushed down on her as she tried desperately to push him off.

The mayor then introduces Effie; the woman skips over to the podium and with a smile announces "Happy Hunger Games! And may the odds be ever in your favor."

After this Effie had a long speech that I blanked out, I was just praying that it not be my name pulled out of that bowl.

"Ladies first," she says as he plummets her hand into the first bowl and pulls out the first piece of paper. You her eyes gleam as the escort opens the folded piece of paper to read the name," It's Primrose Everdeen."

I feel relief that that name was not Katniss then realization showed me it was her sister. There was silence as the twelve year old girl walked towards the stage.

"Prim!" I hear a girl cry, it could have only been one girl. My eyes dart across the crowd as I see her push forward to the opening.

"I volunteer," she cries, "I volunteer as tribute!"

The crowd is bewildered at the girl who had just volunteered to fight for her life in place of this little girl. Her sister. I feel my body start to tremble, Katniss anyone but Katniss.

"No Katniss! No!" The young girl shouts but Katniss just shrugs her off and walk on to the stage.

"Well, Bravo," Effie exclaims, "Now that's the spirit of the Games! Now, what's your name?"

"Katniss Everdeen," she says shyly. No one applauds but just gives her the three finger solute, including me.

After this everything else blurred past us until Haymitch fell off of the stage in a drunken act, taunting the Capitol. Then Effie began to speak again. "What an exciting day, But the excitement continues. It's now time to choose our boy tribute!" her hand digging around the other ball. "Peeta Mellark!"


	2. 2 The Journey

**Authors note:** Hey, Danni here. I am so so sorry this took so long to come out. I have no excuse for myself at all. I hope the chapter makes it up to you.

So... yeah go forth and well...read. I hope you enjoy it and I promise to get the next chapter out as soon as possible.

Don't forget to alert and review and whatnot. :)

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><p>2<p>

The name rings around my head. That was the last thing I anticipated to happen. Katniss and I in the Hunger Games, expected to kill one another. I could never kill Katniss. My feet are planted to the spot. The boy next to me nudges my shoulder, bringing me forward and I make my way on to the stage trying hard not to cry. I take my place next to Katniss. How can she be this composed? While I stand here, trying to remember how to breathe. I look into the crowd in disbelief. I spot my father in the back of the crowd looking at me, tears streaming down his face. My mother looked less worried and just seems to brush the feelings off. They both know I have no intention of coming home. I would do anything in my power to keep Katniss Everdeen safe, which is exactly what I intend to do.

The mayor finishes saying something about the treaty of treason and gestures for me to shake Katniss' hand. My face reddens as I our hands meet. Her skin is so delicate yet so worn out by years of living in the seam. I squeeze her hand slightly to hide the fact I'm shaking and it had suddenly worsened. I'm fighting with myself to let go of her hand when the anthem sounds. Before I know it Peacekeepers are taking us into the Justice Building. There are so many of them, I count half a dozen at least. Why do we need so many if there are only the two of us?

I'm herded into a side room in the hallway of the Justice Building, finally alone to think. Millions of thoughts buzz thought my head. My Father, My Mother, Kai, Roman, The bakery, Katniss. Tears hurl themselves down my cheeks and I bury my face in my palms. I hear the door creak open so wipe my face free of tears. I look up to see my father with puffy red eyes. He had been crying I'd never seen my father cry before he is a big stocky man, not the sort you'd see crying. This could only make it harder to say goodbye. He takes a step towards me and the door closes. I embrace him for a short while before we sit down. I'm sure this is the last time we will meet as I will never win the games if Katniss is part of it; he knew it just as well as I did.

"I love you, son. Just remember that."He whispered. Pain sears in his usually warm voice, he leans over and plants a kiss on my forehead. Memories of my childhood flood through me, before I'm flung back into reality.

"I love you too." I try to keep positive for his sake. I look towards my feet.

"Your mother loves you as well you know." he tells me genitally. My head jerks up, eyes flaring.

"No, she doesn't. I'm going into the..." The words can't escape, I pause. "...and where is she. Not here. Not where I need her!" I feel another tear cascade down my cheek.

"You know it's not like that," he says, less panic in his voice now.

"No, it's exactly like that! Don't try and convince me otherwise." I yell at him. "I lost my mother years ago. That woman, she means nothing to me."

The door lunges open and a peacekeeper strides in, maybe hearing the commotion or just to collect my father. I look at him and mouth 'thank you' before he is taken away from me by two peacekeepers. I wait for a second, wondering if I'll have any more visitors. There's Silence. No one else wanted to see me, or could face it. So I just sit on the soft chair, pondering thoughts. Eager for the Peacekeepers to let me see Katniss.

A car transports me from the Justice building to the train station although it wasn't far away and could have easily been done on foot. The car quiver's as it moves across the uneven road, but I'm wedged between two Peacekeepers so stay relatively still on our journey. As the station approaches I see the mass of reports with camera's and know I'm in the public eye again. I'm ushered out of the car and escorted to the doorway of the building where we had to wait a while before we could enter. The camera's get an all over inspection of us for the rest of Panem's eyes to linger upon. The door slides to one side and slots into place with a click, signalling we could go inside. Katniss went in first, followed by myself slowly pacing behind, staring at the back of her head in despair.

The hall was narrow with doors going off on either side into rooms that look like they shouldn't be able to fit into a train, even one of this size. Inside each room there was a small dresser with a mirror that was near a door that went off into a private bathroom. There was a bed in the corner that looks as if it had never been slept it. There was a small window showing tree's and fields blur past, as we were shot along the track, going 250 miles per hour.

I sit at the desk in the room the I have to call my own, for however long it would take to get to our destination. I glance at the mirror and see my reflection. I look like my father, I can see that much. The image is reflected so clearly, much clearer than it was looking into the bakery window reflection. How the small curls in my hair match his. I can see the muscle in my arms, they are like his too. I put my head to the desk and close my eyes and drift in to a sleepy abyss.

Lights dance and cascade before my eyes turning into shapes and figures, into last years arena. I heard the cannon fire, it was beginning. I was sprinting to the cornucopia to get a pack with supplies. That's when it hit me, the arrow. I couldn't say standing, my legs buckle out from under me and I lay sprawling out across the floor. I look back at the face of the person who had just shot me, it was Katniss.

My neck cricks as I jolt upright. My back aches and I break out into a cold sweat barely getting enough oxygen as I pant. I wipe my forehead with the back of my hand and catch my breath before getting up and moving into the bathroom. I turn the tap and water comes out, warm, clean water. I cup my hands and splash it into my face. It was refreshingly pleasant and soothing. My eyes stung from unintentional tears that greeted me when I liquid washed away my face and gave me my mask to hide behind for the days to come. It felt like I'd been asleep hours, but surprisingly only 30 minutes had passed.

In the bedroom inside a wooden dresser were draws full of clothes in an array of colours and patterns. I pull out the first shirt I see and put it on leaving the shirt I'd previously been wearing in a crumpled pile on the chair. After a final glance in the mirror I approach the door with slight caution, being fully aware of my whereabouts before turning the door knob.

As I step out of the room, I see Haymitch Abernathy stumbling in my direction.

"Where are you going? I thought Effie said that the Dining hall was this way." I asked pointing past him to the other end of the cabin.

"Going to take a nap. Is that okay with you?" He shouts sarcastic barging past me to get to his own room.

When I'd gotten to the dining hall I saw Effie Trinket sat alone in the beautifully decorated room, at a table that had what I assumed was supper.

"Hello Peeta, I was just about to go and get you and Katniss for supper. Come here and take a seat while I go and get Katniss." She marvels in delight.

"Okay." I just about get my words out before she is rushing out of the door.

I sit down in one of the chairs, staring at the door waiting for Katniss and Effie to appear. I take a deep breath and then the door opens. Effie was gone less than a minute before her return. I really don't know how she does it.

"Where's Haymitch?" Effie asked looking at me.

"Last time I saw him, he said he was going to take a nap," I reply thinking back to what Haymitch had said.

"Well, it's been an exhausting day," She points out, looking relieved not to be in the company of Haymitch.

The pair sat down on the other side of the table leaving the space next to me clear, just as the courses came in. There was carrot soup, salad, lamb chops and mashed potatoes, cheese and fruit and a huge chocolate cake. This was more food than I had seen in one place at one time.

"Save space there is more food to come." Effie keeps repeating thought out the main course. There is just so much food. I'm not even still hungry, but I keep eating not wanting to waste anything. I looked up to see Katniss looking as I felt.

"At least you two have decent manners. The pair last year ate everything with their hands like a couple of savages. It completely upset my digestion." Effie Trinket exclaims toward the end of the meal. I saw Katniss' distaste with this comment, as after that she ate her meal with her fingers. Effie did not at all appreciate this.

After supper we went into another room to watch a recap of all the reapings. We see all of the tributes that we will be facing, as they are chosen. I wast really paying attention as the thought of sitting next to Katniss was over powering my thoughts. I only really noticed the careers volunteering and the 12 year old girl from District 11, she was so small. Just like Katniss' sister, Primrose. Only this girl didn't have someone to step forward and take her place, as Katniss had done.

Finally, District 12. I get to re-watch Katniss' heartbreak as prim is called. Watch her volunteer. Watch myself walk up to the stage. See Haymitch fall off the stage. Remembering how I felt, how I still feel now, I just have to try and block it out, block everything out and focus.

"Your mentor has a lot to learn about presentation. A lot about televised behavior." Effie says whist looked very frustrated of how she looked to all of Panem. I laugh to myself, "He was drunk, He's very drunk every year." "Everyday." Katniss adds. This makes us both smirk. "Yes," Effie snaps. "How odd you two find it amusing. You know your mentor is your lifeline to the world in these Games. The one who advises you, lines up your sponsors, and dictates the presentation of any gifts. Haymitch can well be the difference between your life and your death!"

At that moment Haymitch stumbles in. " I miss supper?" He barely finished his statement before vomiting over the carpet that was probably more expensive that his house. "Yeah, laugh away." Effie says shuffling around the pool of vomit as Haymitch flops into it. She departs the room looking disgusted. I turn to look at Katniss, she is just as shocked as I am to know that this man will be our 'lifeline'.

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><p><strong>Authors<strong>** note: **So yeah. I really hope you like it and If you do review. :D Thanks guys.

(Also a big thank you to my beta who went over the fic and my Authors note as i managed to get a spelling error in it... oops)


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